Fire Department Holds ‘Hands-Only’ CPR Training In Santa Clarita Valley

Posted by: KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 in Health And Beauty June 5, 2014 - 2:41 pm 0 196 Views

Saving someone’s life can be simple. That was the message being spread by firefighters in the Santa Clarita Valley on Thursday.

When someone goes into cardiac arrest, CPR can keep them alive until paramedics arrive.

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To help empower the community with this life-saving skill, the American Heart Association has partnered with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to provide “Sidewalk CPR” training throughout the county on Thursday.

Fire personnel from Fire Stations 104 and 108 came out to the Wal-mart on Carl Boyer Drive Thursday afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. with informational fliers and dummies for passersby to practice on.

They told participants that people often won’t do CPR because they are afraid they will hurt the victim.

“If her heart’s not beating, you’re not going to hurt her,” said the firefighter leading the training.

Bob Calderwood, who participated in the training and is part of his 55+ community’s Emergency Response Team, said that he wanted to be ready to perform CPR in the event of a major emergency, like an earthquake.

The training involved learning how to perform CPR without mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Fire personnel said that it is best to kneel beside the victim, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest and the other hand on top, lock your elbows and push hard straight downward at least two inches.

Compressions should be fast, at the rate of 100 per minute, or to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees (see video provided by the American Heart Association).

CPR, even without mouth-to-mouth, can keep the blood flowing to the brain, said Fire Capt. Arnie Diaz. He called it “priming the pump.”

“If you know the basics, jump in there,” he said.

Another community training is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. at LA Fitness on Pico Canyon Road in Stevenson Ranch.

For more information about emergency response and first-aid, visit the Fire Department or the American Heart Association online.

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